ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/05/2018

Microbial Tracking-2 (MT-2): Over the weekend, a 53S subject completed saliva sample collections in support of the MT-2 investigation. The MT-2 series continues the monitoring of the types of microbes that are present on the ISS. It seeks to catalog and characterize potential disease-causing microorganisms onboard the ISS. Crew pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight samples and environmental samples from ISS surface and air locations are collected to identify any associations between the microbial content of the samples, as well as potential health effects.

NanoRacks DreamUp Xtronaut Crystal Growth (DreamXCG): To track the progression of the DreamXCG formation that was initiated last week, over the weekend and today the crew took photo and video images of each pouch to show any visible sugar crystal growth. This investigation teaches students about the effects of microgravity on crystal formations using near-identical flight kits flown and operated aboard the International Space Station (ISS). With access to crew member videos and data on the same experiment, students are able compare crystal formations in space to those in their classrooms. The investigation aims to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields to the next generation of students.

Lighting Effects: A 52S crewmember completed a Visual Performance Test by stowing the hardware in their crew quarters, setting the light to the correct mode, turning all other light sources in the crew quarters off, and performing a Color Discrimination Test. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.

Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI)–1 Electronics Unit (EU) Operations: The crew installed the repaired EU into the MELFI-1 spare stowage location. The MELFI-1 EU failed in August of 2017 and returned on SpaceX-12. The MELFI is a cold storage unit that maintains experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures throughout a mission.

Earth Imagery from ISS Target (EIISS): Over the weekend, the crew took images of Japan using the Nikon camera, and images of the Iberian Peninsula and Nile Delta using the RED camera. Today the RED camera was used to take images of the Himalayas and the snowfields of Asia and Kamchatka. EIISS is used to support creation of a series of videos showcasing Earth views taken from space. The videos are taken with cameras on the ISS in 6K hi-resolution and are integrated into videos for screensavers for public enjoyment, exploration, and engagement.

Rodent Research 6 (RR-6): To prepare for this week’s RR-6 operations, the crew participated in a crew conference, gathered equipment and cleaned the animal access unit. The crew also removed the mice and restocked both of the rodent habitats with new food bars in addition to cleaning the lids and interiors cages of the habitats. The Rodent Research-6 (RR-6) mission uses mice flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and maintained on Earth to test drug delivery systems for combatting muscular breakdown in space or during disuse conditions. RR-6 includes several groups of mice selectively treated with a placebo or implanted with a nanochannel drug delivery chip that administers compounds meant to maintain muscle in low gravity/disuse conditions.

Education Payloads Operations (EPO): To show children how astronauts conduct hygiene activities on the International Space Station (ISS), today the crew will demonstrate how astronauts clean themselves and wash their hair, highlighting the differences between doing these activities in zero-gravity on the ISS and in gravity on Earth. The video will also feature the European Space Agency’s mascot for young kids.

Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEM A/L) Valve Box Remote Controller (VB-RC) Installation: Today the crew attempted to install the JEM A/L VB-RC. Due to mechanical interference and alignment issues, they had to stand down on installation until ground teams are able to recommend a solution. Once installed, this new system will enable additional capability for ground controllers to perform JEM A/L operations without crew intervention.

Common Communications for Visiting Vehicle (C2V2) R2 Upgrade: Today ground controllers began the upgrade of the C2V2 system to version R2. The C2V2 system is used to communicate with and control vehicles as they arrive and depart from the ISS. This upgrade package is needed to interface with upcoming missions.